TASHKENT, Aug. 2 (Xinhua) -- The Uzbek and Russian armed forces have started a joint military training drill "South-2021" in southern Uzbekistan near Uzbekistan's border with Afghanistan, the Uzbek Defense Ministry said Monday.
The main purpose of the drill, which will continue till Aug. 8, is to improve cooperation between the military forces of the two countries, and exchange experiences on security issues, the press service of the ministry said.
The drill comes at a time as the security situation in neighboring Afghanistan has deteriorated in recent months.
Earlier on Monday, the Uzbek Defense Ministry said that it has sent a tactical group to neighboring Tajikistan to participate in the Russian-Tajik-Uzbek joint military exercises held at the Harb-Maidon training ground in Tajikistan.
The triliteral exercises consist of tasks aimed at countering external threats with the main goal of strengthening stability in the Central Asia region, preventing potential threats and exchanging experiences, the Uzbek Defense Ministry said. Enditem